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Judge Gives Litvinenko Suspect Hours To Testify

A British judge investigating the killing of ex-KGB spy Alexander Litvinenko has given one of the men suspected of involvement in his death a final chance to testify.

Dmitri Kovtun, a Russian businessman, is accused of spiking Mr Litvinenko's drink with a radioactive substance in a London hotel in 2006.

He had been due to appear before the inquiry into the death via video link from Moscow to give evidence, however, he reversed his decision to do so for the second time this year.

Inquiry counsel Robin Tam said Mr Kovtun claimed to be bound by obligations of confidentiality to an ongoing Russian investigation and "is not in a position to give oral evidence now".

Judge Sir Robert Owen, who is presiding over the inquiry, said that he fears the Russian is attempting to manipulate the inquiry, adding that his final opportunity to testify would be at 9am on Tuesday.

"The factors you have outlined, in particular the timing of the events regarding giving evidence and the content of the very, very recent communications, give rise to the gravest suspicion that an attempt is being made to manipulate the situation," he said.

British authorities believe there is evidence that proves Mr Kovtun, along with another Russian Andrei Lugovoi, laced Litvinenko's green tea with polonium-210 at a hotel in London.

He died three weeks later in hospital.

Ben Emmerson QC, who represents the Litvinenko family, said: "It appears that these proceedings are being manipulated in a co-ordinated way between Mr Kovtun, the murderer, and the Russian state that sent him to commit the murder - a continuation of a collaboration that began in 2006."

The public inquiry is due to issue its report into Litvinenko's death at the end of the year.

Mr Kovtun and Mr Lugovoi both deny any involvement in the death.